Total of 18 Greek-owned vessels, 119 seamen in northern Black Sea; one ship trapped in Odessa-area port

Greece’s shipping ministry on Sunday provided a latest update on the number of Greek-owned vessels and seaman in the northern Black Sea, with at least one vessel reported as stuck in an Ukrainian port due to a prohibition against sailing.

The Greek-flagged vessel, with six Greek nationals aboard, is reportedly docked in the Odessa-area port of Yuzhe, and is prevented from sailing by Ukrainian naval officials due to the war.

The shipping ministry in Piraeus has reportedly requested that the Greek consulate in Odessa make every effort to mediate with Ukrainian authorities so that the vessel can depart.

At last count, eight Greek-flagged vessels are docked, anchored or sailing in either Russian or Ukrainian territorial waters at the moment. The total number of Greek seamen in the northern Black Sea is 61. Another five vessels are present in the southern Black Sea, staffed by 39 Greek merchant seamen.

Additionally, another five Greek-owned vessels – on third country registries – are also in the northern Black Sea, with a total of 19 Greek merchant seamen aboard.

At the same time, Lloyd’s Market Association’s Joint War Committee announced that it now considers the Russian and Ukrainian territorial waters in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov as maritime regions of heightened risk for military operations, piracy and terrorism.